Tuesday November 5, 2002

Florida International's Nicola Bell named to All-Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer First Team, Denver's Jeff Hooker repeats as Coach of the Year

lorida International senior Nicola Bell was honored this evening at the Third Annual Women's Soccer Awards Banquet in Mobile, Ala., being named First Team All-Sun Belt Conference. The award comes on the heels of an impressive senior campaign in which Bell led the team in points (11) and assists (5) and finished second on the team in goals (3). Amazingly, in the games she has played in this season, she has been involved (recording a goal or an assist) in 80% of FIU's goals.

Bell, a Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection in 2001, was one of five FIU seniors honored tonight. The other Golden Panthers honored were Ifeoma Dieke, Rossana Lopez, Sarah Middlebrook, and Michelle Torre.

Denver's Jeff Hooker was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. The Pioneers won the 2002 Sun Belt Conference regular season title with an 8-0 conference record. Denver is 14-1-2 coming into the conference tournament and ranked in the top 20 in all four national soccer polls.

North Texas junior Marilyn Marin was named the 2002 Player of the Year. Goalkeeper Marsha Stewart of Arkansas-Little Rock was named the Freshman of the Year, while Middle Tennessee midfielder Christina Mascaro was named the Newcomer of the Year.

Marin, a forward for the Mean Green, was one of four unanimous selections to the All-Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer First Team. The Dallas native leads the nation in points (67) and goals (26) and is fourth in the nation in assists (15).

The other three unanimous First Team selections play for regular season champion Denver - midfielder Katie Antongiovanni, and defenders Jamie Norwood and Angie Portincaso. Norwood is currently tied for seventh in the nation, second to Marin in the league, in assists with 12. Antongiovanni is second in the league in points and goals behind Marin. Portincaso is a key defender for the Pioneers.

Three more starters for the Denver Pioneers were named to the first team. Forward Mychael Movius, midfielder Kristin Warren and goalkeeper Erica Izard have joined with Antongiovanni, Norwood and Portincaso to earn the Pioneers a 12-game winning streak going into the Sun Belt Tournament.

Rounding out the All-Sun Belt First Team are Middle Tennessee's Laura Miguez (So., F), North Texas' Melinda Pina (So., MF), and Louisiana-Lafayette's Sara Vienberg (Jr., D).

Eleven student-athletes were named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team - Denver's Jenni Harris (Jr., F) and Kerri Weaver (Sr., F); Louisiana-Lafayette's Stacy Smith (Fr., F); South Alabama's Kathy Steinmetz (Sr., MF), Rebecca Kahn (Fr., MF), Keri Osborne (Sr., D) and Amber Angermeier (So., GK); Western Kentucky's Allison Nellis (So., F), Crystal Chapon (So., MF), and Melissa Robinson (So., D); and Arkansas-Little Rock's Elena Esquibel (So., D).

Florida International helps kick off the Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. (CST) against host South Alabama, the No. 3 seed. No. 4 seed Louisiana-Lafayette will face No. 5 seed Western Kentucky at 1 p.m., followed by No. 2 seed North Texas against No. 7 seed Middle Tennessee at 4 p.m. No. 1 seed Denver will begin defense of its 2001 tournament championship at 7 p.m. against No. 8 seed Arkansas State. All game will be played at The Cage on the campus of South Alabama.